By Lewis “MVP” Carlan. Catch him on Twitter @PWSOTH.
Coming up on June 24th, Nova Scotia promotion WrestleCentre will be running a big show at the Halifax Forum that will be headlined by the IFWA World Champion JP Simms as he takes on Julien Young. I caught up with JP Simms and had the pleasure of engaging in this great conversation with him as we discussed various topics. I hope you enjoy my discussion with the IFWA World Champion and very talented JP Simms.
Lewis: Hello JP! Thank you for granting me this exclusive interview for Kayfabe Today. Right off the bat I have a question I have always wanted to ask, so let’s get it out of the way – What does JP stand for?
JP Simms: Hey man thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk! The J stands for Jeremy but the P doesn’t stand for anything. Just a nickname I came up with a long time ago, before wrestling as a possible wrestling name and it stuck and became me.
Lewis: Well, it does have a great ring to it. No need to thank me JP, I am fortunate that the IFWA champion will have a discussion with me. So, let’s go back to the beginning for JP Simms. When did you decide to become a professional wrestler?
JP Simms: It does! Well I’m glad to hear that! I began watching WWF when I was like 5 or 6 years old and by the time WrestleMania 12 came around I was 8 and when I watched that event, specifically the 60 minute iron man match between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. I instantly knew I was going to be a Professional Wrestler someday! That ppv was the moment I knew I was hooked and that no matter what, I was gonna do this someday. And When I was 19, I took my first bump.
Lewis: The match between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart was a classic! It is one of my favourites although I was rooting for Hart to win. You trained with Lance Storm, is that where you took your first bump at 19?
JP Simms: Yeah it was an amazing match that is still talked about today. I was rooting for Shawn Michaels all the way! Haha. No I trained with Lance Storm a year later when I was 20, but I’d taken taken bumps before that. I didn’t learn to be a professional wrestler until I went to the Storm Wrestling Academy.
Lewis: Training with Lance Storm must have been incredible. How long did you train with him and what was that experience like?
JP Simms: Yes it was. We trained 3 hours a day, 5 days a week for 3 months. The experience was incredible. He was a great trainer. He taught the class so much in that time. How to work in the ring and so much about the business. It was intense and it was worth it. It was great.
Lewis: I have always been a Lance Storm fan but I bet you wouldn’t think twice about putting him down with a Simmulator if he got out of line right? LOL….
JP Simms: Yeah I was always a Lance Storm fan myself, but yes just like anyone else if Lance Storm did get out of line, I would put him down with a Simmulator!
Lewis: Does that mean me too? I am not safe from a Simmulator?
JP Simms: Well, I think you are safe bro.
Lewis: Thank you! So how did you get involved with WrestleCentre?
JP Simms: No problem. Ha ha. Well when Jason Mosher and Tyler Burns started putting together ideas for the promotion WrestleCentre, they contacted me to be a part of it. I was working with UCW at the time. And the rest was history.
Lewis: I remember seeing an interview with you and Tyler on a morning news show in which Tyler stated that WrestleCentre was going to be based around you as their top star. What was it like having a promotion being based around you. It must have been quite a feeling to get to that level.
JP Simms: It was a great feeling knowing people had seen the potential in me to showcase my true ability’s at a top level with some of the best talent in the entire world. It was a huge motivation to push myself even harder.
Lewis: Speaking of best talent in the world, you wrestled an amazing match against AJ Styles. What was it like in the ring with such an incredible talent and would that rank as your favourite match to date?
JP Simms: It was the most intense and surreal feeling I’ve ever had standing across the ring from him before the bell rang because I knew in my heart that I could hang with him and that I was going to prove it to everybody and that’s what I did. It was most definitely my favorite match to date.
Lewis: Yes, you did, you hung with AJ that night and proved you are a great talent. What do you hope to learn when in high profile matches with AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, etc?
JP Simms: Thanks for that. I hope to learn every aspect of the business and what it takes to make it to the top on a full time basis and working with stars like that will help do that.
Lewis: WrestleCentre has a lot of great talent with Mike Bailey, Nick Diggz, and Julien Young to name a few. Who do you see as your biggest threat to the IFWA title?
JP Simms: You know there is a lot of talent in WrestleCentre but I don’t see anybody as a threat. I don’t look at anybody as a threat as i push myself harder every show. I train hard for every opponent and go into it with the mindset that no matter what, I will put on the performance of a life time and I will show everyone why I’m the number one guy in WC right now.
Lewis: There is that confidence that Jason Mosher spoke about last week. In my interview with WrestleCentre producer Jason Mosher he told me that many fans in WrestleCentre don’t like JP Simms. What is your feeling about this? You exude confidence and I believe its jealousy. What would you say to fans that don’t like JP?
JP Simms: I find it funny. I don’t pay any attention to people who say they don’t like me. I worked hard and continue to work hard to get better every match and be the best to grow in my career. Confidence means a lot. People take it the wrong way sometimes but those are people who don’t understand and are not as smart as they think they are to the business.
Lewis: You have great confidence and it translates well in and out of the ring. Recently, you defeated Matt Bullen in an IFWA title match in which Kurt Angle was the special guest referee. Tell us about your recent experience with the legendary Kurt Angle.
JP Simms: Absolutely. You need to have confidence. It was a crazy experience to be in the ring defending the IFWA Title having Kurt Angle as the guest referee. I really enjoyed being able to showcase what I can do and also show him what Nova Scotia Canada brings. And when he put his hands on me, I retaliated and that was a really cool moment for me!
Lewis: Not too many people can say they low blowed Kurt Angle but JP Simms can! You have worked as a heel and babyface. Which do you prefer and why?
JP Simms: Haha absolutely and that was a pretty cool moment I won’t forget! I enjoy both, but I would say I enjoy being a heel more because there are just so much more cool things you can do in the ring and on the microphone etc.
Lewis: Yeah, if I was a wrestler, I’d want to be a heel as well. You can get away with so much more.
JP Simms: Exactly. It’s a lot of fun being the bad guy.
Lewis: Back to Kurt Angle for a second, you guys shared a locker room for one night. Was there a time you were able to sit down with Kurt Angle to pick his brain and discuss the business? I would imagine Angle is a fountain of knowledge that anyone could learn from.
JP Simms: Yeah I was able to talk with him for while before and get his advice on some things and tell him some of the ideas I had. He has a lot of knowledge and he had a very successful career and to be in the same ring as him was really cool.
Lewis: I have been saying for a long time that TNA should have a look at JP Simms. I think you would be a great addition to their floundering X Division and give it a much needed shot in the arm. Now that I have you here one on one, what do YOU think you would add to TNA?
JP Simms: I appreciate that thank you. I think I would be a great addition to the X Division in TNA. I think I would add an organic element and I think I would be able to stand out and have different types of matches with the workers there that people would want to see.
Lewis: You are welcome! As the TNA correspondent for Kayfabe Today, I always look to write about talent that can help them and feel you are one of them without a doubt. I have tweeted Dixie numerous times about you as well…..
JP Simms: You have and that’s awesome. She’s bound to see who I am sooner or later. In the mean time keep on moving forward!
Lewis: I believe you can thrive in ROH or Evolve as well given the chance. So what is JP Simms ultimate goal? Is it the WWE?
JP Simms: I think it would be a great experience to work for ROH or Evolve but I feel I would fit best in WWE for a lot of reasons and obviously that’s the ultimate goal!
Lewis: Well, naturally the first step would be NXT and you will get there. I get first exclusive NXT interview right? LOL!
JP Simms: Absolutely, NXT would be a great experience. You most definitely will get the first interview Bro haha.
Lewis: Thank you! It’s in print now so I will hold you to it bro or I may hit YOU with a Simmulator.
JP Simms: Haha well we would have to see about that one.
Lewis: You are defending your IFWA World Title on June 24th against Julien Young. Both of you are very talented and will most likely tear the house down. What can we expect between the two of you on June 24?
JP Simms: That’s the goal to go out and tear the house down like I know we can. You can expect us to have an intense championship main event match! And make no mistake about it; I’ll do whatever it takes to walk out of the Halifax Forum still the IFWA Champion.
Lewis: I have no doubt you will retain your title against Julien Young. Also on that card is TNA‘s EC3 who is replacing Eric Young due to Young having to cancel his appearance. What will happen to EC3 if he gets in JP Simms face?
JP Simms: Yes EC3 will be replacing Eric Young, but make no mistake about it, if EC3 wants to get in my face, then just like Jake Roberts, Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, he will go down like the rest!
Lewis: Samoa Joe? I didn’t know you had a match with Joe or are you talking about when you hit him with the IFWA belt while Christopher Daniels watched?
JP Simms: Yes I’m referring to when I dropped him with the IFWA Championship when he was fought Daniels.
Lewis: I really want to thank you champ for granting me this exclusive interview for Kayfabe Today. Do you have any parting words or want to cut a promo on anyone. I will give you permission to cut a promo on me if you’d like.
JP Simms: Haha well I won’t cut a promo on you, thanks again for the interview. I just want to say thank you to all my supporters and all my haters! And follow JP Simms on Twitter @JP_Simms and check me out on FB!
Lewis: Thank you JP! We will talk again soon my friend.
JP Simms: My pleasure.
Kayfabe Today 
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